Adoption of information and communications technologies (ICTs) has become a key factor in a country's development. Currently, there is a growing disparity between those developing countries that have successfully integrated ICTs and those that have not. Many developing countries have rolled out national plans and institutions to bolster the deployment of ICTs, hoping to support productivity gains, new business development and social transformation through technology adoption. However, for many countries, these initiatives have not translated to higher levels of ICT adoption with improved economic development. This has left governments with a great deal of uncertainty over what policies to implement and which initiatives to fund. The goal of this Science and Society Dissertation Improvement Grant is to fund primary research regarding the role and impact of ICTs on economic development in developing nations that will contribute to a dissertation whose purpose is to build a cohesive understanding of national ICT policies. This study will use a combination of secondary data from international sources on ICTs and development to develop a regression model as well as extensive primary research to complete case study analysis. This research will investigate the implementation and impact of ICT policies within broader context of development efforts. The study will strengthen its generalizability by utilizing both statistical regression and case study analysis, weaving them together to lay a foundation for a national ICT policy framework for developing countries. Previous studies of this disparity have predominately focused on economic factors, overstating the connection between high-income levels and ICT adoption rates. It is important to examine both economic and policy variables in combination when assessing the variation in adoption rates. This study will expand on current research by including economic, policy, and infrastructure trends that have led to higher ICT adoption rates. With this research study, the researcher will accomplish an important step in understanding the role governments can play in the development of improved ICT access. By analyzing more than economic factors, this study will provide a solid foundation for examining the development and implementation of ICT adoption policies. This research will provide information on best practices for policy reforms and ICT initiatives within developing countries. Further, this study will clarify the role of the national government in sponsoring and promoting ICT Usage.
